The Southtown Star recently published an article about the 9-1-1 Center in Oak Lawn, which was recently handed over to a private company. The piece highlights growing concerns among local officials and residents regarding the quality of emergency dispatch services following the privatization. Oak Lawn trustees Bob Streit and Carol Quinlan have called for an independent review of how well the dispatchers are performing since the center was contracted out to Norcomm in January. However, Mayor Sandra Bury has refused to support this request. The two trustees claim they've received multiple complaints from residents about the performance of the new dispatch team. The controversy came to light after Norcomm's vice president, Michael Tillman, presented a certificate to the village at a recent meeting, praising Oak Lawn for its "continued commitment to excellence" in 911 services. Tillman noted that since the two-year contract began on January 22, Norcomm and the village have successfully handled more than 100,000 calls. During the meeting, Streit attempted to question Tillman but was quickly interrupted by Bury, who thanked him and added, “I’m sure he’s able to be called.” This move frustrated Streit, who felt the interaction was staged. He claimed that Tillman arrived with a plaque and left before answering any questions, calling it a "well-staged" event. “I think public safety is the most important issue we face as board members,” Streit said. “Since the outsourcing of the 911 center, there have been many questions raised about the quality of service our residents are receiving.” Quinlan echoed these concerns, noting that she had never received complaints about the previous call center during her seven years on the board. Her comments drew applause from the audience. Streit also shared specific incidents, including cases where staff failed to show up for work, a dispatcher working six straight 16-hour shifts and then being denied a vacation, leading to their resignation. “Is the board comfortable with that? I’m not,” he said. Later, another trustee, Desmond, outlined a list of complaints obtained from village records, some dating back to before Norcomm took over. He mentioned issues like delayed ambulance responses, excessive sick days, inattention to duty, failure to dispatch police, rude behavior toward callers, and even playing video games at work. Mayor Bury defended the current system, stating that while there may be isolated problems, the data does not support the claims of widespread failures. “You have someone whipping the public up, and the (911 center) data does not bear that out. The former dispatchers were human, the current dispatchers are human,” she said. Under the current two-year contract with Norcomm, the agreement can be extended for three additional years if both parties agree. The deal required 20 dispatchers to reapply for their positions. Norcomm is responsible for providing 23 full-time dispatchers at the 911 center. The village pays $1.99 million in the first year, with the cost increasing each year up to $2.3 million by the fifth year. Additionally, the Oak Lawn 911 center serves several surrounding communities, including Burbank, Evergreen Park, Bridgeview, Bedford Park, and Central Stickney. Thanks, Dan.

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